Spray apparatus



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 SPRAY APPARATUS R. J. JAUCH ETAL nnuu I. M /1/\ 5. H x y g I m A May 29, 1951 Filed Feb. 21, 1949 SPRAY APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 21, 1949 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

May 29, 1951 R. J. JAUCH ETAL SPRAY APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 21, 1949 INVENTOR.

BY W, ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 29, 1951 NITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE SPRAY APPARATUS Robert J. Jauch and Charles 13. Hoover, 'Fort Wayne, Ind, assignors to Agricid'e Corporation, Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application February 21, 1'949,ISerial No. 77,584

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to spray apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for dispersing liquids in small-l particles to form a mist, etc. The invention is useful in connection with liquid insecticides, herbicides and other solutions.

An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for breaking a liquid stream or body into particles of minute size and of uniformly .mi-nute size. Yet another object. is to accomplish the breaking up 'of liquid into fine particles of relatively uniform size through the use of relatively little power. A still further object is to provide apparatus in which liquid is broken into minute particles by impingement while under the influence of vacuum for producing a mist which expands readily to fill a confined area such as a room, etc. Yet another object is to provide apparatus for breaking up particles through impingement with the flow by axial or radial, a shroud being provided for protecting the turbine fan structure while the device is being carried but being removable to a position below and out of the way of the particles being discharged when the operation is set in operation. Other specific objects and advantages will appear'as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a single embodiment by the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. l is a broken, vertical sectional view of apparatus embodying 'our invention; Fig. 2, a top plan view having a direction control fan which may be-employed; Fig. 3, a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a top plan view of the structure equipped with a shroud and bail; Fig. 5, a broken side view in elevation, the shroud being shown in section and in elevated position; Fig. 6, a View similar to Fig. 5, but showing the shroud in lowered position; Fig. 7, a sectional View of the housing and shroud, the section being taken as indicated at line I of Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a broken vertical sectional view-of a modified form of turbine fan arrangement for axial flow; and Fig. 9, an assembly view of the blade parts in separated relation.

In the illustration given, designates the receptacle which is preferably equipped with an aperture or air vent (not shown). The air vent may be in the usual cap used to enclose the filling neck of the receptacle.

Upon the receptacle I0 is mounted a motor housing which is equipped with cooling vanes t2. A 'motor field I3 "is supp'ortedby the motor housing for the "armature I4. The armature M and its shaft It has its lower portion supported within the bearing I 6, carried by the bottom plate H of the housing, and the current is supplied to the motor through the usual commutator 18 and brushes 19. The upper shat-t portion may be provided with a fan 2-0 for cooling the motor, if desired.

A closure plate 24 engages the top of the housing II and carries -a stationary plate 2 2 thereon. The closure plate is centrally apertured to receive a bearing 23 tor supporting the upper portion of shaft |5.

The stationary plate 22 is provided with an annular well 2-4 for receiving liquid and from the well 24 laterally extending passages or ports 25 lead to annular recess 26. The recess .26 is spaced from :an outer recess 32.1 by .a raised rim 28, as shown more clearly in Fig. .1.

Mounted upon the top portion of the shaft |:5 :is a ahead :29. The :head 29 is provided on its underside with inclined blades 30 received within the recess 2 B of plate 22. The head 29 is also provided :on its underside with inclined blades 31 received within the outer recess 21 of the :lower plate 2.6, :as shown more clearly in Fig. 1. Between the blades 39 and 3| is an annular recess 32 extending upwardly within the head 28 and receiving the fixed blades 33 car ried by the rim 28 of stationary plate 22 Thus there is arranged between the blades 30 and 3| carried by the rotatable head 29,, the fixed blades 33 carried by the stationary plate .22. The inclination of the blades 30 and 3| in contrast with the inclination of the blades 33 are indicated best in Fig. 3,.

'If desired the fixed plate "22 may be equipped with a closure .plate '34 for sealing the top of the annular well 24, as shown in Fig. 1.

Mounted upon the top of the head 28 is a directional fan member 35 apertured to receive the threaded reduced end of shaft I5 and provided with laterally extending blades 36. The nut -31 may *be provided for locking the fan 35 against the head 29.

Any suitable means may be employed for supplying the liquid to be :atomi'zed or dispersed from the receptacle -|0 to the annular well 24. In the specific illustration given, we provide a tube 38 which leads from the receptacle -|'0 and communicates with laterally extending passage 39 between plates "21 and E2, as shown best in Fig. 1. A passage 4-!) leads f-ro'm passage 39 into the lower portion of the well 24.

'To control the "flow as liquid through the tube 38, we provide a rotary valve 4| equipped with a screw head 42. It will be understood that any suitable valve for controlling the flow of liquid may be employed.

We prefer to equip the spray apparatus with a shroud structure adapted to be raised into an elevated position for protecting the fan structure, etc. when the apparatus is being lifted but it can be moved to a lower position when desired. In the structure shown in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, the shroud or annular ring 43 is equipped with a bail 44 and also with four depending leg members 45 slidably guided by adjacent cooled fins |2, as shown in Fig. 7.

The shroud 43 is provided with an upper annular rim portion 46 and spaced therefrom and below a lower ring portion 41. The leg members 45 connect the members 46 and 41 and extend below for engagement with the cooling fins l2 as previously described. When the bail is lifted for moving the apparatus, the shroud moves to its upper position as shown in Fig. and until the inner-most leg portions engage the closure plate 2|, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5. In the latter position the upper ring portion 46 encloses the fan blades 36 and the space between the ring portions 46 and 41 is aligned with the blades 3| forming a part of the turbine structure. In the lower-most position, as shown best in Fig. 6, the shroud is well below the outlet of the turbine blades.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, an axial flow turbine fan arrangement is shown. In this structure, the motor shaft 50 is keyed to the member 5| equipped with blades 52 and to the member 53 equipped with vanes or blades 54, the key being indicated by the numeral 55.

The blades 52 and 54 are enclosed within a cylindrical casing 56 provided with a shoulder or step 51. A ring 58 is secured by press fit within cylinder 56 against the shoulder 51, as shown more clearly in Fig. 8, and the ring 58 is provided with inwardly extending vanes or blades 59.

The cylindrical casing 56 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 66 provided on its lower side with an annular recess 6| for receiving liquid to be sprayed. Flange 66 rests upon a base plate 62 through which extends the feed pipe 63, as shown more clearly in Fig. 8. A rotary valve 64 having a flat end portion is effective for controlling the flow of liquid through pipe 63. The valve 64 is provided with a handle 65 and a cylindrical portion 66 mounted within a recess 61 in the base plate 62. We prefer to employ a flat spring 68 for urging the valve portion 66 inwardly and if desired a sealing ring 69 may be employed at the inner side of the valve portion 66. It will be understood that any suitable valve may be provided for controlling the flow of liquid through pipe '63. We prefer to provide the flange 66 of cylinder 56 with a plurality of spaced vertical passages 16 for conveying liquid from the annular chamber 6| into the turbine fan space above.

The apparatus may be equipped with a directional fan having blades 12 if desired.

Operation In the operation of the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the motor I4 is set into operation and the head 29 rotates carrying with it the turbine blades 30 and 3|. Liquid fiows from the receptacle upwardly through the pipe 3| and thence through passages 39 and 4|] into the annular well 24. Liquid passes from the well 24 through the lateral passages into recess 26 traversed by blades 30. The stream of liquid is broken up by the rapid rotation of the blades and also by impingement upon the stationary blades. The particle sizes may be varied by changing the speed of the motor but we prefer to control the particle size largely by the feed of liquid.

At a constant volume feed and at a constant speed of the head 29, a substantially uniform particle size mist is produced. By reducing the volume feed, a smaller size of particle is obtained and by increasing the volume feed a larger sized particle is obtained. Thus the valve 4| provides an accurate control of the particle size.

In a test operation using a light insecticide oil designated as Disperso 125 and at a speed of 16,000 R. P. M., it was found that particle sizes of about a micron to 12 microns were obtained depending upon the volume fed to the blades. With full flow of feed, the size of the particles were largely in the range of 10 to 12 microns while at a low feed rate, the particles were largely in the range of from 3 to 5 microns. By using liquid of different viscosities or densities, different sizes were obtained. The above test or specific example merely illustrates the effectiveness of the volume feed control with a given liquid and with a constant speed motor. It will be understood that other variations in particle size may be accomplished by changes in the number, location, etc. of the blades or impact members, etc. 7

While we have illustrated the impact members as being formed of blades and fixed vanes, it will be understood that such members may consist of pins, studs, and of a variety of structures effective for impingement action upon the liquid to break it into minute particles.

The head member carrying the blades may be driven by an electric motor, or by any other power means. The feed to the blade may be gravity feed or suction feed or, if desired, a forced feed may be employed. The propeller is useful as a directional fan and is also used to create additional turbulence but it may be omitted if desired.

In the operation of a shroud structure, when the shroud bail 44 is lifted, the shroud moves to the position shown in Fig. 5 where it protects the fan 35 if the apparatus is moved about. When the bail is released, the shroud may be moved to its lower-most position as illustrated in Fig. 6. In the operation of the modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the rotation of shaft 56 causes vanes 52 and 54 to be rotated rapidly and fan blades 712 also to be rotated. Liquid is drawn through pipe 63 into the chamber 6| and thence through opening 16 into the fan blade spaces above. The rapid rotation of the blades 52 and 54 in conjunction to the fixed blades 59 break the liquid into minute fragments by impingement thereon so that a mist of a controlled particle size is obtained. The discharge of the material is through the upper end of the apparatus, the fiow being axial.

While the foregoing specification has set forth the structure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment of the inven- 2. In combination with liquid spray apparatus equipped with a motor housing having cooling fins thereon, a shroud, a bail secured thereto, and

depending legs carried by said shroud and slidably engaging said motor housing between spaced pairs of said fins.

3. In combination with liquid spray apparatus equipped with a motor and motor housing and a fan driven thereby, a shroud adapted to enclose said fan, guide members fixedto said shroud and extending inwardly into sliding engagement with said motor housing, and means limiting the upward and downward movement of said shroud, said shroud when in raised position enclosing said fan. v

4. In spray apparatus, a receptacle for liquid, a motor housing mounted thereon, a motor carried by said housing and equipped with a vertical shaft, a head mounted upon said shaft, depending spaced inclined blades carried by said head, a stationary plate supported by said housing below said head and equipped with spaced recesses receiving said blades, said plate providing a raised rim between said recesses, stationary blades carried by said rim, said plate providing also an annular well and a passage connecting said well to the innermost of said plate recesses, and a tube extending into said receptacle and communicating at its upper end with said Well.

5. In spray apparatus, a receptacle for liquid, a motor housing mounted thereon, a motor carried by said housing and equipped with a vertical shaft, a head mounted upon said shaft, spaced annular series of depending blades carried by said head, a stationary plate supported by said housing below said head and providing a raised rim between the depending blades of said head, stationary blades carried by said rim, said plate providing also an annular well and passages extending from said well to the innermost of said blades and in alignment with said rim, and a tube leading from said receptacle and communicating with said well.

6. In spray apparatus, a receptacle for liquid, a motor housing mounted thereon, a motor carried by said housing and equipped with a vertical shaft, a head mounted upon said shaft, spaced annular series of inclined blades depending from said head, a stationary plate supported by said housing below said head, and equipped with spaced recesses receiving said blades, said blade providing a raised sealing rim between said recesses, stationary blades carried by said rim, said head being provided with a recess receiving said rim blades, said plate providing also an annular well and passages connecting said well to the innermost of said plate recesses, and a tube extending between said receptacle and said well.

7. In spray apparatus, a receptacle for liquid, a hollow motor housing mounted thereon, a motor carried by said housing and equipped with a vertical shaft, a head mounted upon said shaft, two annular series of depending blades carried by said head, a stationary plate supported by said housing below said head and equipped with spaced recesses receiving said blades, said plate providing a raised sealing rim between said recesses, blades carried by said rim, said plate providing also an annular well and passages connecting said well to the innermost of said plate recesses, and a valve controlled tube extending from the receptacle through said motor housing and communicating at its upper end with said well.

8. In spray apparatus, a receptacle for liquid, a motor housing mounted thereon, a motor carried by said housing and equipped with a vertical shaft, a head mounted upon said shaft, spaced annular series of blades inclined in the same direction and depending from said head, a fan secured to said head, a stationary plate supported by said housing below said head, and equipped with spaced recesses receiving said blades, said plate providing a raised rim between said blades, and providing also an annular well and passages connecting said well to the innermost of said plate recesses, and a valve control tube extending into said receptacle and communicating at its upper end with said well.

ROBERT J. JAUCH. CHARLES D. HOOVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 581,206 Hewitt Apr. 20, 1897 814,720 Monroe Mar. 13, 1906 864,742 Jirotka Aug. 2'7, 1907 1,808,935 Planert June 9, 1931 1,939,364 Peebles et al. Dec. 12, 1933 2,333,150 Bowen Nov. 2, 1943 

